Seaver outduels Carlton on opening day. I went to this game with my dad. It was cloudy. That's about all I remember.

Dennis Black
August 19, 2002

In January 1975 I had met a wonderful girl on a ski trip, and being the romantic that I am, I told her that I would take her to Opening Day at Shea. We went, and Tom Seaver won as usual. We went to six more games that year, and the Mets won them all. I could not let this beautiful woman get away! We were married in September 1978 and are the proud parents of four lovely Met fans.

Hey Dennis (the poster above me): that may be the best post I've seen on the UMD.

Hey Jon (also a poster above: I too attended this game with my Dad. Can still see Kingman's bomb as it appeared from our upper deck seats. What a drive.

Can also see Torre's basehit to win it in the ninth.

What a great box score - Seaver and Carlton pitching cowboy-style before the days of slavish devotion to pitch counts.

billy a
August 11, 2006

If I'm not mistaken, Joe Torre had the game winning hit in this one, the only good thing he did as a Met.

JFK
April 9, 2011

The first Met game I ever went to see. It was cold. I got into trouble next day in school because I skipped school to go to the game.

April 14, 1975 Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Phillies 4, Mets 3

Ed K
September 4, 2002

My last visit to the Vet to see the Mets play before I graduated from college in Philly and returned home to the Metropolitan area. And the Mets lost, unfortunately. But what I most remember is looking at the scorecard and seeing one or two Met rookies were younger than me. That made me feel really old for the first time. It wasn't until Dave Winfield retired over two decades later that every major leaguer was younger than me

A crazy afternoon at Busch Stadium. After one inning the Mets were leading 6-4!! The Mets scored five runs after two men were out in the top of the first. The Cards came right back and loaded the bases with no one out in the bottom of the first off Jerry Koosman and got four runs thanks to a sac fly by Reggie Smith followed by a three-run homer by Ted Simmons. Both starting pitchers were gone by the second inning.

With the Mets up 7-5 in the bottom of the fifth, switch-hitter Ted Simmons homered off rookie RHP Rick Baldwin and became the first NL player to hit homers from both sides of the plate in a game since Pete Rose did it in 1967.

The wackiness continued when St Louis 2B Ted Sizemore made three errors in the top of the sixth, tying a major league record. The Mets scored five runs in that inning, four of them unearned, to take a 12-7 lead, and coasted from there.

Rick Baldwin pitched 5.2 innings of relief for his first major league win. Former Cardinal Jack Heidemann had just one hit but had four RBIs thanks to a bases loaded double and a bases loaded walk. The Mets were helped by the Cards' generous gifts of five errors and nine walks.

April 19, 1975 Shea Stadium
Chicago Cubs 4, Mets 2

John Freund
January 25, 2002

My first Mets game. I was 8 years old. I went with my Dad and two brothers and had great seats since my Uncle used to work for Schaefer.

I remember it being very cold. I used to yell to the Cubs outfielders "Drop it" when the Mets flew out but learned by the 5th inning that they don't drop a lot of fly balls in the Majors.

my very first baseball game. A 5th grade school field trip. Cards jumped out to a 1-0 lead with the running of Brock and Mcbride. Mets came storming back, Rusty hit a grand slam. I will never forget it. Upper deck just beyond first base absolutely terrifying to a kid. cool and clear. I purchased a little bat for a dollar and some kid ran past me and stole it right out of my hands. Ms Barr bought me another one. Thanks.

Holy sheesh! You have the boxscores!! I remember this game, I was there! We were sitting in the Dairylea grandstand seats and there was a huge fire off in the distance somewhere in Flushing just as the game started. I can remember being distracted by that for a while and I guess the Mets were too.

I definately remember Stearns getting the only hit and being very disgusted about the Mets losing to the lowly 'Spos.

Not only did Stearns get the only hit, he also made one of the all time defensive plays in Met history. I'm not sure who was hitting (I think it was Fryman) or what inning it was, but an Expo attempting to bunt fouled and an outstretched Stearns made a lunging bare handed catch and doubled off the runner on first. I still remember Fryman discussing this on Kiner's Korner simply by saying, "He was in my hair all day."

The one thing I remember about this game is that I was 7 and me and my father went when we were down in the city visiting family. I just remember it being a cold rainy day driving by Shea and seeing flags flying above the stadium which usually mean't game was on. Too bad they lost.

May 10, 1975 Shea Stadium
Cincinnati Reds 7, Mets 1

Kevin
May 16, 2008

I attended this game with my college roommate. This was a day game and we decided on the spur of the moment to drive to Shea and and take the game in. BIG MISTAKE! Not only did the Reds kick ass that day but my old Volkswagen nearly broke down on the ride home. Every light on the dashboard lit up at one point during the drive including a few lights I didn't know I had. George Foster hit a home run for the Reds, a line shot into the upper deck above the Reds bullpen in left. Rusty Staub hit a homer into the right field bullpen, a high looping pop fly kind of homer. Foster's homer seemed to leave in about two seconds, while Staub's homer seemed to take about five minutes to clear the fence.

May 11, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 3, Cincinnati Reds 2

Kenny M
June 11, 2003

I attended this game as an 11-year-old with my best friend and his family. Sat press level behind the plate. I vividly remember the following details: Rose, with the rampant Shea booing since the Harrelson fight, led off game with a homer off Seaver that bounced off the rim of the CF fence. He hustled around the bases to continued booing. Griffey then doubled and scored. And that was it for the Big Red Machine's scoring as Seaver cruised the distance. John Milner hit a monster homer over the RF fence. Then in bottom of 8th, the Mets squeaked out the win as I especially remember a slow ground single to right by light-hitting Mike Phillips, and later driven in on a single by Staub, and the place went nuts. Seaver then finished the Reds off. For a low-scoring game, I remember that this was actually an exciting game with a great finish and a happy ending against a powerful team.

This was the first baseball game I ever attended. I was 9 years old and it was Mother's Day and I went to the game with my father, mother, brother and grandmother (who was a huge Mets fan). I remember they gave out Mets hats (like fishing hats you'd wear on a beach) to everyone.

It was a beautiful day and we were sitting about mid-level between third base and the left field foul pole. Pete Rose did lead off the game with a home run and it did hit the top of the wall and bounce over (the only time I've ever seen that) but I remember that Rose pulled it and the ball hit the top of the fence in right (not center) and it landed in the bullpen.

The Reds scored 2 in the first and that was it and Seaver pitched a gem (how many times did Seaver give up 2 runs in the first then shut out the opponent for the next eight innings--lots & lots) and the Mets wound up winning 3 - 2.

I remember telling my father that even though the Mets won we had seen a "bad game" because not many runs were scored and in his infinite wisdom he told me "no son, we saw a great game because even though the game was low scoring it was close which makes the game exciting." So I left the game very happy not only because the Mets won but also because I saw a "great game." And it was also one of my first lessons in baseball lore.

The Reds came into this game with a record of 20- 20 and quickly fell behind Tom Seaver and the Mets, 3-0. After allowing one walk and no hits through the first three innings, Tom gave up a total of seven runs and seven hits in the fourth and fifth innings and the Reds went on to an 11-4 win. Tony Perez drove in four runs and Dave Concepcion and Doug Flynn drove in three each.

The Reds went on a tear, winning 41 of the next 50 games, and won the NL West by 20 games over the second place Dodgers.

May 26, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 6, Los Angeles Dodgers 3

Barry F.
March 28, 2002

This wasn't your typical Seaver win. He was on the verge of losing it in the ninth inning, when the offense bailed him out against Andy Messersmith, a good pitcher. Wayne Garrett had been hobbled by ankle problems and came up to pinch hit with two on and hit a ball that hit the top of the fence and bounced over for a game-winning homer in the bottom of the ninth. I was sad when Garrett was traded in 1976, but at least I had this fond memory of him from that day, watching on TV in my living room in Roselle Park.

On a less positive note, my dad also got mad at me that day and ripped up some of my Mets baseball cards. I taped them together and still have most of them, including a Garrett card which was ripped in half, almost right down the middle.

I was at this game. I remember seeing Wayne Garrett and Bob Gallagher around the bat rack. I'm glad they chose Garrett.

cwlimbach
October 19, 2011

I was at this game also! 10 years old. Garrett was my fave Met for a few weeks after that.

May 28, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 3

Paul
May 20, 2010

I was at this game, sitting in a loge reserved seat just to the first-base side of the catcher. That's prime territory for foul balls from right-handed batters, and Dave Lopes hit one and Jimmy Wynn hit two that came near us. My neighbor almost caught one, but it hit the railing in the front of our section and bounced to the loge box seats.

I was surprised when the Dodgers brought in Andy Messersmith in relief because he was usually a starter.

After the game, when we were walking to the car, we passed the area where the players park. I could recognize the cars of Ed Kranepool and Mike Phillips by their vanity plates. Unfortunately, I can't remember what kind of cars they were.

On this Friday night at Shea, San Diego's Willie McCovey broke a 2-2 tie with an eighth-inning, pinch-hit grand slam off Bob Apodaca. It was the third career pinch slam for McCovey, and gave him a total of 16 lifetime slams, tying Henry Aaron for the NL lead.

June 8, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 7, Atlanta Braves 6

Hank M
February 4, 2006

I remember the 14th inning of this game. It was after 6:00PM on a Sunday and my family was getting ready to leave for a 6:30 church service. Seeing that the Mets had a runner on third, we hung around to see if they could win it right there.

As a result, there we all were, in church attire, watching the Mets! I said to everyone that a wild pitch would be good here so that they'd win and we can leave. Sure enough, that's exactly what happened! The pitcher threw one that got away and the winning run scored.

We headed off to church very happy. I don't remember if we got there on time or not. I just remember that the Mets won in 14 just before we left.

June 20, 1975 Shea Stadium
Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Mets 1

Drz
January 24, 2003

My first time to a game! I remember my Dad took our family. Been searching all over for this box score. Remembered it was a perfect night, so excited seeing my first game. Candelaria pitched a fantastic game! I'll never forget this.

Joel
September 3, 2003

I went to this game (a Friday night game) with a bunch of friends from the neighborhood, a couple of weeks after I graduated from college. It was the first time I ever heard or saw John Candelaria of the Pirates who pitched great. Willie Stargell hit a HR off of Tom Seaver, the Mets loser though was reliever Tom Hall whom they had obtained from Cincinnati.

Ed K
August 5, 2007

This game was symbolic of the 1975 season. The Mets could generate little offense and their pitching could not carry them in 1975. Thus they could never get much over .500. They went into this game 3.5 games back of the Pirates who also swept the remaining two games of the series to lengthen their lead to 6.5 games. By All-Star break less than a month later, it was a 10.5 game lead and the Mets were for practical purposes out of the pennant race. Tom Seaver held the game to a 1-1 tie for 8 innings. But Tom Hall could not shut down the Pirates in relief. Hall was a little lefty (as Bob Murphy used to say) who was a quality pitcher for years with the Twins and Reds, but had little left by the time he came to the Mets near the end of his career.

June 21, 1975 Shea Stadium
Pittsburgh Pirates 7, Mets 3

Mike T.
August 31, 2011

The only game I ever saw at Shea because we lived so far away. NBC Game of the Week. Lackluster game for the Mets and Dave Parker crushed a 3-run PH bomb to seal it for the Pirates. Only highlight was when we were heading for the car Joe Garagiola exited a secret stadium door and knocked my Aunt visiting from Canada on the ground. He picked her up, apologized profusely and happily and graciously gave my brother and I autographs. So the day wasn't a total bust. Cleon would only appear in 8 more Mets games after this one.

June 22, 1975 Shea Stadium
Pittsburgh Pirates 2, Mets 0

Jeffrey S
September 26, 2013

I am a Pirates fan and this was the first time that I saw them. I have always wondered had Clemente not boarded the plane would I have gotten the chance to see him. However it was a day game and they gave Stargell the day off. I'll never know.

My Grandfather & I took the train in from New Jersey to catch this double-header. I was 11 years old and a huge Mets fan. This was my first visit ever to Shea. I was from Florida and staying with my Grandfather for the summer.

I remember it being a huge disappointment to see the Mets drop this double-header, and to be shut out in both games on top of it.

Interesting...Jon Matlack only made three relief appearances in his entire Mets career and the first two were in his first full season, 1972. I wonder why he came into this game with the bases loaded and one out in the 8th inning of a scoreless game? It wasn't to get a platoon advantage against Ted Simmons because George Stone, also a lefty, had been in the game. Matlack wound up pitching to five batters and gave up three hits including the grand slam to Simmons. He had pitched 8 innings two days earlier and the Mets had not had a streak of high scoring games where the bullpen needed a break. Also, it wasn't the weekend before the all-star game where starters would sometimes come in to get a couple of outs. Very strange.

My granddad took me to this game, we sat first base box seats. Kingman belted a long HR to left field, Koosman pitched great, and my beloved Mets won. I was just a kid, mesmerized by being in Shea Stadium, as my family had moved to Michigan. It was the last game I ever attended with my granddad, an ultimate Mets fan from Flushing, who died not long after. What a treasured memory. I am a Mets fan forever.

Witz
December 9, 2011

I was at this game as well. My first memory of this game was that the Mets had been shut out for 35 innings(!) going into it, but finally broke the spell, as Jesus Alou "drove" in the a run in the first inning. I was only 9 at the time and remember Alou driving in the run, but the box score here shows a three base error by Brock on the play. Query: does anyone recall what Brock did to botch the play?

My other memory is that as we left they put a note on the scoreboard that Koosman had just won his 100th career game.

The funny thing about this "memory" is that this game has always stuck in my mind, so I decided to use this web site to find it. I figured I could narrow the search by only looking for home games Alou drove in a run (how many could there be?). In reviewing the box score, he clearly got no RBI for the play I remember, but did get one later in the game--had that not happened, I would not have found this box score and assumed I dreamt the whole thing!! [before anyone says I easily could have found it by looking up Kooz's 100th win, I didn't realize they were the same game until I saw Koosman got the win and started thinking that would have been around the right time in his career, did the math...and voila--two memories for the price of one. Kudos once again to this excellent web site for helping me relive a small part of my youth.]

Jack
April 17, 2013

I also remember Gene Clines starting and they finally scored in the first inning. It was a rainy day and Wendel Ladner of the Nets had been killed in a plane crash that afternoon coming into I think JFK!

June 25, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 2, St. Louis Cardinals 1

rht
September 16, 2007

I attended this day game with my family. I was 11 years old at the time. We sat in the bleacher seats down the left field line. I have very little memory of this game except that Tom Seaver was pitching and the Mets won the game. At the time of this writing this is the only time I saw a Mets victory in person.

Lou D.
September 16, 2007

Yes, I was at this game as a 12 year old. I remember Seaver pitching, munching on a Shickhaus Hot Dog, and enjoying a Met win. Also remember Bruce Boisclair ignoring me and my friend when we were begging him for an autograph.

My husband was at this game (6/28/75) and I am attempting to get a copy of the news article which featured him streaking in his wilder more crazy days. I thought it would be a nice Christmas present since the original article from the Daily News is quite faded.

June 29, 1975 Shea Stadium
Philadelphia Phillies 9, Mets 6

J
April 17, 2012

I believe this was Tug's first appearance at Shea after the Mets let him go. So sad. I remember after the first inning he pitched he mistakenly took two or three steps towards the Mets dugout before realizing his mistake and turning back toward the Phillies dugout. So sad.

I attended this doubleheader as part of a trip with my Boy Scout troup. What I remembered the most about these games was that Tug McGraw, who had been traded by the Mets to the Phillies during the off-season, made his first appearances for the Phillies against the Mets at Shea Stadium. Tug had been one of the Mets' most popular players when he was with the Mets, so he received a warm reception from the fans when he made his first Phillies appearance at Shea Stadium.

Tug must have been relishing his first chance to pitch against his former team in their home ballpark. In the first game, Tug pitched three innings to earn a save, and in the second game he pitched four innings to earn the win in extra innings. During the day, Tug gave up no runs and one hits in seven innings, earning a win and a save. Tug earned a measure of revenge against his former team in front of their home fans that day. Clearly, there have been few relief pitchers who had a better single day of relief work than Tug did that day.

But what made it most memorable was after Cleon Jones pinch hit (and flied out I believed for the third out) left field was empty when the Mets took the field. Yogi sent him Cleon out there but he refused to go.

It was the last time we'd see him in a Mets uniform.

July 19, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 5, Atlanta Braves 4

Paul Sullivan
May 14, 2001

This was my first Mets game. Seaver wasn't at his best (he gave up a homer to Mike Lum, for god's sake), but it was good enough for the win. It's funny, but what I remember most about this game is Dave Kingman's lackluster fielding.

This was the wildest Mets game of 1975 and it's in my top 10 of greatest regular-season games I ever saw.

What I love about the Mets teams of the past was their ability to come back. You'd have thought that the Mets were dead in the water after Houston jumped out to a 7-1 lead. But what do the Amazin's do? Right. Match the five runs and make it a game.

I think it was also the game that kind of put Dave Kingman on the map as a home run hitter. I recall him hitting two bombs and the Shea Stadium crowd going berserk. So was this then 12-year old from his bedroom.

I also remember yelling over to a couple of area playmates who were next door in a swimming pool that the Mets had won and watching them splash around in joy.

Joe, you are quite right. This is one of my favorite Met games ever....yet few people ever talk about it because '75 was not a pennant-winning season or maybe because the Mets were just mediocre. Anyway, I was 8 and living in Roselle Park and yet it seems like it was yesterday. The Mets got off to a terrible start. They were down 7-1. Kingman comes up and hits a three-run shot in the 5th. This was the same inning in which Jack Heidemann hit a routine fly to Cesar Cedeno in center. Cedeno lost it in the sun, it broke his thumb and Heidemann had a triple. Cedeno, it is often said, was never the same player after a shooting incident. But this also contributed to his demise from superstar status to merely a decent player. Anyway, I saw the first Kingman homer, then my mom and sister take me out to go food shopping in Elizabeth. The game see-saws. I get back and the Astros are up 9-7 in the bottom of the eighth. Up comes Kingman again and again he swats a three- run shot. Mets win it, 10-9. Of course watching it all again on Kiner's Korner was sweet! So many twists and turns.

I had my cheap Kodak camera at this game,the orange-yellow rainbow jerseys of the Astros came out great. After Kingman hit his 2nd homer, the scoreboard had "DAVE" in huge type. Was one of the most exciting regular season games I've ever been to. I was from upstate NY and only could go to one game a year, what a treat that this was the one I got to.

rht
July 22, 2007

For some reason, I remember the Mets getting two outfield assists in this game. And the plays were carbon copies of each other because it seemed to be the same Astro player who got thrown out at the plate each time. Each time there were at least two runners on. The batter gets a hit each time. The first runner just trots home from third base, but the other player following him is just FLYING around third and sliding into home only to be tagged out. And I think they both ended an inning as well.

This is the game Joe Torre hit into 4 double plays after all Felix Millan's 4 singles

rht
July 22, 2007

This game wasn't broadcast on TV, but I read about it in the papers the next day. I think Joe was quoted in jest that when he retires, he was going to buy himself a shortstop and hit groundballs to him. At the time of this writing, Joe Torre is the manager of the New York Yankees and his shortstop is Derek Jeter. A premonition?

In the third inning of that game Jerry Koosman stole the only base of his career, advanced to third when the catcher's throw went into centerfield, and scored a key run on a sacrifice fly by Wayne Garrett.

Hank M
August 2, 2006

Wow, I remember this one - the night Jerry Koosman got a stolen base! Kooz was on first with none out when he (shockingly) ran on the pitch. Reds' catcher Bill Plummer hesitated before throwing to second, where no one was covering. The ball went into center field as Kooz slid into second. He then got up and ran to third, again sliding in safely.

After scoring on Garrett's sacrifice fly, Jerry was shown on TV in the dugout laughing his head off while being teased by his teammates. Later in the game, the big message board jokingly stated that he was only 117 stolen bases behind Lou Brock's record, set the previous year.

Why did Jerry run? To my understanding, he looked toward Eddie Yost (the third base coach) and saw what he thought was the hit-and-run sign. As a result, he caught the Reds (and everyone else) off guard by taking off. This "mistake" helped his own cause in a complete game win.

rht
June 11, 2007

I remember the Koosman steal rather well. I thought this was a pretty hilarious moment against what was a rather solid team in the Big Red Machine.

By the way, wasn't Koosman later presented with an honorary 2nd base in a mock ceremony?

Frank the Met
September 22, 2007

The answer is yes, the very next night before the game at Shea Stadium there was a mock ceremony at homeplate with Tom Seaver at the microphone and Koosman standing next to him. Seaver presented Koosman with the "Lou Brock Award" for what Seaver termed Koosman's "first, and probably his last stolen base at Shea Stadium." Seaver then placed a paper bag over Koosman's head. The "ceremony" actually took place before the game went to air, so it was shown to the TV audience about a half hour after it took place.

July 24, 1975 Shea Stadium
Cincinnati Reds 2, Mets 1

Lou
May 18, 2005

I was at this game. I was 12 at the time and it was another one of those games where Seaver was outstanding but the Mets did not score runs for him. Frustrating. I think he got his 2,500th career strikeout in this game also.

A sunny and hot weekday afternoon at Shea. I went to celebrate my birthday and got to see The Franchise (with absolutely no apologies to the late M. Donald Grant) get his 2000th strikeout against his future team. I had no idea he was close to 2000 but it was neat to be there for it. But it was even better being at Seaver's 300th win, upstaging The Scooter on his day in the Bronx ten years later.

Lou
October 21, 2008

That's right; it was his 2,000 K. I had 2,500.

Seaver is still the best pitcher I ever saw. I did not see Koufax and I saw Gibson after his prime.

The Mets won this one 9-8 in ten innings, despite Bill Madlock going 6-for-6 for the Cubs.

Madlock tripled in the first inning, singled in the sixth, eighth and tenth, and had RBI singles in the third and fourth.

A pinch-single by Joe Torre gave the Mets the lead in the top of the tenth. Felix Millan had four singles and four RBIs in the win.

August 3, 1975 Three Rivers Stadium
Pittsburgh Pirates 5, Mets 4

Bill
May 11, 2012

I remember watching this game with my mom who was a baseball fan. I remember her telling me that Duffy Dyer couldn't hit just before he hit the game-winning home run for the Pirates. Sad day for this Mets fan.

I was 11 and on this day and my grandfather had taken me to Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. We stayed overnight and after dinner we were listening to this game in our hotel room. Now I have to tell you that for some reason my grandfather was a fan of young Met pitcher Randy Tate. He believed that he was going to develop into a fine pitcher.

On this night at least, my grandfather appeared to be right. As we listened to the signal as it faded in and out on a transistor radio, Randy Tate was pitching the game of his life. Over the first 7 innings Tate had struck out 11 Expos while walking 4 with his customary wildness. He had not only held the Expos scoreless, but hitless as well. The Mets led 3-0. The radio signal was getting weaker as Tate fanned pinch hitter Jose Morales to begin the 8th. After fading for a few moments, the signal returned and we heard that ex-Yank Jim Lyttle had broken up the no-hit bid. After that the signal was gone for good and we went to sleep, tired from the long day.

The next morning after breakfast, we walked past the Hall of Fame and saw the final on the museum's scoreboard. The Mets and Tate had lost the game 4-3. A walk, a Gary Carter single and Mike Jorgensen's 3 run HR, all off of Tate had ruined his fine outing.

Tate finished with 13 strikeouts. Ex-Met Chuck Taylor got the save for the Expos. Another nail in Yogi Berra's coffin as he would be fired as manager later that week.

I remember watching this game at my neighbor's house (he was a big Mets fan) and how pissed off he got when Randy Tate lost the no-hitter. He threw a beer bottle through the glass coffee table in his den.

August 5, 1975 Shea Stadium
Montreal Expos 7, Mets 0

rht
September 7, 2007

This game was the first of a twi-light doubleheader. I attended this game with my Dad and siblings. We were sitting in the upper deck somewhere near the right field wall. All I remember was that the Mets were getting blown out in this game. We left in the middle of the second game as it was getting late and the Mets were getting blown out again.

Later that evening, we found out on the News that Yogi Berra had been fired as the manager of the Mets.

August 5, 1975 Shea Stadium
Montreal Expos 7, Mets 0

Ed K
August 5, 2005

Yogi's last game as Met manager. Back-to-back shutout (7-0) losses to lowly Montreal was the last straw. But his recent ultimatum for the Mets to release Cleon Jones for insubordination was also probably a major factor.

This is the only time I ever saw Tom Seaver win a Mets game in person, and it was via an emergency situation.

If memory serves correct, Jon Matlack was to originally start this game. Unfortunately, Jon was involved in a slight automobile accident and was scratched. Here comes Seaver like the 7th Cavalry to shut the Expos out. He was very much in control of the entire game. (Ironically, I never saw Matlack pitch in person; this was as close as I would come.)

The other highlight that stands out is that Dave Kingman laid down a surprise bunt single. I want to say that it was with two out and two strikes on him, but that may be a little much. I will say that no one expected it.

I went with my fellow Little Leaguers to this afternoon affair. What fun!

If you look at the boxscore for this game it will appear that Ken Sanders came into the game to pitch in the top of the eighth but did not face a batter. That is exactly what happened--Sanders was warming up and was hit in the eye by a throw and had to leave the game. Skip Lockwood came in to pitch the last two innings.

August 13, 1975 Shea Stadium
San Diego Padres 8, Mets 5

Gets by Buckner
April 15, 2007

This was my very first baseball game! I was 11 years old. My grandparents who live in Jersey decided to surprise my brother and I. We had seats in the mezzanine section and the game was delayed for 20 minutes or so because of a downpour. The Mets got off to a great start and the Padres pitcher Spillner didn't last the first inning. After that it was all downhill from there! Lousy game but my first trip to Shea! Randy Tate pitched like a Tidewater Tide player, not a Met.

August 16, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 4, San Francisco Giants 2

Hank M
April 21, 2005

I went to this game with my sister and grandparents. It was Camera Day at Shea. Unfortunately, a threat of rain delayed us in getting to the stadium. We had, basically, no time to get any pictures of the players before the game. We did take some during the game, though.

Craig Swan was the starting and winning pitcher. This was not his first major league game, but it was his first one after being recalled from the minors permanantly. He pitched well for over eight innings. Bob Apodaca came on in the ninth to get the save.

In the second inning, Joe Torre's two-run homer put the Mets ahead to stay. He hit it off of Pete Falcone, who would pitch for the Mets with Torre as manager a few years later.

Also, Dave Kingman hit one of his "sky-high" pop ups. Giants' catcher Dave Rader, after waiting (for what seemed like all day) for the ball to come down, dropped it! It popped right out of his glove.

I remember going to this game because it brought the Mets within 3.5 of first, which I believe to be the closest they got in August or September over a dreary 11 season span (year end '73 to '84). My recollection was of Koosman pitching a shutout in this game; but I guess he threw a combined one with Seaver, how unusual.

This was the first time I saw Mike Vail. If I remember correctly Mike homered on his first at bat. He seemed like he was born to be in MLB, he was a natural, or at least that is what he seemed to me. Mike hit a couple of home runs in the next three days. I lost track of whom I thought would be one of baseballs greatest assets, but, I'll never forget his first at bat this day in 1975. Warm Regards,(No.-ONE Met FANATIC)

August 23, 1975 Candlestick Park
San Francisco Giants 2, Mets 1

Mike Bordon
July 27, 2003

I was sitting by the third base dugout (Giants side), and Red Garrett was up against Montefusco. Garrett hit a high foul in my direction, close but no cigar. I remember thinking, "That was close, I might get one." The next pitch, bingo, again Garrett was late on the pitch, towering pop up behind the third base dugout, I reached up and caught it. My sole big league put out.

rht
September 7, 2007

I watched this on TV. Tom Hall had no control and ends up walking in the winning run in the bottom of the 9th, ruining a stellar performance by Koosman. It's one of those games that gives you nightmares as a Mets fan. Everything just unraveled in that 9th inning!

August 24, 1975 Candlestick Park
Mets 9, San Francisco Giants 5

Quality Met
April 24, 2010

This was the first game of a doubleheader and a great one for the Mets. They had 12 hits and built up a 7-run lead by the fifth inning. Dave Kingman's grand slam against his former team was the biggest highlight. They held on for the win thanks to strong relief pitching from Bob Apodaca.

Alas, this win was forgotten quickly! In the second game, the Mets fell victim to a no-hitter by the Giants' Ed Halicki, trumping all that happened in this first game.

Ed Halicki of the Giants pitched a no-hitter against the Mets in this game. I recall seeing it on TV.

rht
September 7, 2007

I guess I wasn't aware the Halicki was throwing a no-hitter until the very last out and Halicki was celebrating wildly like he had just won the World Series.

For some reason I recall Halicki walking more people than I see in the box score. (I'm sure the box score is correct!) If I remember correctly, he was getting into some deep counts. There was a point in the game where the Mets had runners on first and second and were threatening, but obviously Halicki got out of that jam.

I recall Rusty Staub beating out a throw by the Giants secondbaseman on a slowly hit groundball that I think he bobbled momentarily. The play was subsequently scored an error. There was some question of whether it should have been scored a hit.

They showed a replay of the Rusty "hit" on the nightly news with the sportscaster (I don't remember who or what station) berating the Mets' offense in the game.

Incidently, I believe this was during Mike Vail's 23-game hitting streak. He was a pinch-hitter in the game and worked out a walk. Because he didn't make an out, the streak was kept intact.

Quality Met
April 24, 2010

This was the first no-hitter I ever saw. Even though it was against the Mets, I was still excited to see it. It was the second game of a doubleheader. The Mets won the first game, but they couldn't do anything against Ed Halicki, a New Jersey native.

One other thing I remember about this game was Jesus Alou pinch-hitting in the ninth. This appearance gave him and his brothers, Felipe and Matty, a combined total of 5,000 games played. A family milestone was reached, but overshadowed by something bigger.

August 26, 1975 Jack Murphy Stadium
Mets 7, San Diego Padres 2

rht
March 27, 2008

I watched this on TV. I guess the only reason this game stands out for me other than Randy Tate actually WINNING a ballgame was that he also WALKED!!! (I swear it's true!!!) It's the only time I remember him as a baserunner. I would like to say it was Dave Freisleben who walked him, but I can't be sure.

I believe this is the game that Mike Vail legged out an infield hit with two out and no one on in the first to start a six run rally. I always remember this when the Mets are in need of a big rally when there are two outs and no one on.

Backpage of Daily News the next day said TOM'S 20TH ZIPS BUCS. After striking out Manny Sanguillen for his 200th, for a record eighth consecutive season, Seaver gets a standing ovation and turns his back to the crowd to stare out to the outfield in appreciation of the moment. The Mets have moved to within four games of the first-place Pirates with the 3-0 win. It is one of the last important late-season games Seaver will pitch as a Met.

Dave Whitham
April 3, 2002

This was the first game I ever went to - Seaver's 20th, a shutout, and his 200th strikeout.... It didn't get much better than that.

I always remember my first major league baseball game as the Mets beating the Pirates 2-0 and Seaver on the mound. Looking at the archives, I suspect this was the game as it shows up as a 3-0 Seaver win. My dad was a Yankee fan and after going to my first major league game, I became a Met fan. (I think it broke his heart.) The combination of a Met fan and Yankee fan in the house made for some very interesting discussions and debates over the years.

Tom Seaver was as good that day as I had ever seen him. I was sitting between behind third base, 2nd or third level, and he was just a machine that day! As always, his form and concentration were inspiring. The Pirates, always a good hitting team and the eventual Division winner, were absolutely overmatched. When Sanguillen went down for the 200th K (it was only a matter of time), Shea was deafening!

It was a consumate performance of a consumate professional. It was also about the last time that the Mets contended in September while he was a Met. Koosman lost on Labor Day, and the Mets slipped after that.

I remember this game not only because it was Seaver's 20th win of the season. Mike Vail homered. I was 8 years old at the time. My father took me and my cousin to the game. We were leaving and I dropped something outside the car. Me and my cousin got out to pick up the stuff and my father drove off. Didn't notice we weren't in the car till he got on the Grand Central. Needless to say he came back. We laugh about it now but still have the score card now and the only foul ball I caught ever at a game in my house as an adult

If memory serves me correct, this was a twi-night game that started around 5:35pm. I missed half of the game because my mother and I went to the supermarket. When we returned home, one of the neighborhood kids told us the news. At first, he said that Seaver struck out the pitcher for his 200th K, but he was wrong.

I recall not being annoyed because I missed seeing Seaver's achievement. My rationale was that they would show it on "Kiner's Korner," so I'd get to see it then. However, I was a little disappointed over not seeing Mike Vail's first ML home run as it happened.

Recently, there have been a slew of World Series DVDs released on the market. I'd like to see A&E put out collections of great games of superstar athletes such as Seaver. This game from '75, along with his 19 strikeout game (if it exists); his return to the Amazin's in April, '83; his near-perfect game from '69 and, perhaps, game four of the '69 World Series would make, for example, an excellent collection.

Frank the Met
October 5, 2006

Actually, Joe, this was a single day game at Shea on a Monday afternoon, begininning at 2pm. I was at the game. It was a huge series. Seaver was magnificent. There was electricity in the air. Over 50,000 at Shea. Fans were predicting who would be the 200th strikeout victim. None predicted Sanguillen because he was a good contact hitter, but Seaver was so awesome he just blew it by him on a high swinging strike three. In fact, this was the only game the Mets defeated the Pirates all year at Shea. They had been swept in two previous 3-games series, and lost the next two in this series. The pennant race was essentially over after losing the next two.

September 5, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 5, St. Louis Cardinals 2

Jim from Connecticut
November 10, 2006

My first major league game! My dad brought me, a new 8 year old Mets fan, down the Connecticut Turnpike on this beautiful late summer day to the big Shea. We sat in the Mezzanine down the left field line, right in the middle of left field and 3rd base. Dave Kingman was my hero and I was thrilled to see him launch a high fly into the Mets' bullpen. This was during Mike Vail's hitting streak and he also hit a line shot HR into the Mets bullpen.

Some more memories of the game: Tom Seaver pitched great, Lou Brock's stolen base, Ted Simmons thrown out at the plate, Felix Millan choking up. I also remember two kids that ran into the outfield to shake Mike Vail's hand during the game and seeing the cops chase them. One kid jumped over the left field wall and ran away into the parking lot as the cops chased him. I wonder where they are today.

Sadly my Dad passed away last year. We saw many games at Shea together after this, but this was a magical moment in my life and such a treasured memory for me and my Dad.

The reason this game is so special for me is because it was the first Major League game that I attended. Growing up in central Illinois, I was (and still am today) an avid Cubs fan. My aunt and uncle, however, had connections through the Cardinals organization and took my sisters and brothers and I to this Cardinals vs. Mets summer game. The thing that I will never forget about this game was that we no sooner sat down at our seats and the center fielder and leadoff hitter for the Mets, Del Unser, lined a home run over the right-center field fence. The Mets went on to win the game...which for me, being a Cubs' fan, was very satisfying!

September 16, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 4, Montreal Expos 3

billy
April 15, 2008

I was 10 years old, sitting on the Expos side, nice box seats, enjoying a hot dog. Bob Bailey led off the game with a home run to left.

September 18, 1975 Shea Stadium
Mets 7, Chicago Cubs 5

Ed K
November 4, 2007

Dave Kingman broke the longstanding Met homer record by Frank Thomas by hitting his 35th homer of the season in this game.

Jimrat
July 13, 2008

Rusty Staub's two-run homer in this game made him the first Mets' player to drive in 100 runs in a season.

This is the first game I ever attended in person, at age 9. My dad (who was and still is indifferent to baseball) nevertheless took me to abide my screeching wishes. We sat in Section 13 (how apropos) in the mezzanine section. I believe Schmidt and Luzinski went back-to-back for the Phils, and Rusty Staub homered for the Mets. Tug McGraw pitched for the Phils in relief at one point. I remember the game dragging back and forth as I breathlessly followed it like it was game 7 of the World Series. Finally Ron Hodges sailed one into the right field bullpen in the bottom of the 11th. I remember hugging my dad for dear life as I looked down as the sphere sailed toward Pignatano's veggie garden. How sad it is that before long I'll have to remember the last game I went to...since if they strike, I will have been to my last game.

This was the first baseball game I ever attended. My Uncle brought me, and I remember Rusty Staub went 5 for 5 with a HR. And I remember Schmidt & Luzinski going back to back. And of course Ron Hodges hit a 2-run HR to win the game in 11 innings. I remeber throwing paper air planes on the field.

As of the night I write this, my dad who took me to this game will have been gone from us for exactly one year. If there was one personality he loved about baseball, it was that of Tug McGraw (who, as mentioned above, pitched for the Phils in this one) - and he's gone as well.

Strangely, the thing I remember most about this game is not how entertaining,albeit meaningless a game it was, but rather that Mason Reese, that little redheaded kid who used to hawk Underwood sandwich spread in tv ads of the time threw out the first pitch. Maybe not so much that he threw out the pitch, but rather that a couple of innings into the game he and his mother wound up seated right behind my Grandfather and myself in the mezzanine reserve section. Our seats were ok but not great, certainly not where you would expect a guest of the club given that honor to be seated. Anyway, I remember him signing his name for a long line of autograph seekers for an innng or two before his mother asked security to disperse the crowd.

This was the 1st Mets game I ever attended. It was Fan Appreciation Day and I got a nice little Mets bag that I still have somewhere. I particularly remember 1) how dead the Mets offense was that day and 2) how I had to seriously go take a leak from the 3rd inning onwards. I was only 7 years old and at the game with a friend and his dad, so I kept my mouth shut about my beckoning tinkle urge.

The game was going by pretty fast though, and as the bottom of the 9th approached, with the Mets hopelessly down 4-0, my friend's dad said "Let's leave early and beat the crowd to the subway. Anyone need to go to the bathroom?" WHEW!

As we left the restroom and made our way down from our nosebleed level, we heard a tremendous roar. We rushed back through a tunnel to the stands, maybe it was the loge or mezzanine level, to find the fans on their feet celebrating. "What happened, what happened?" we asked. "Hodges hit a home run!" somebody replied. I remember my friend saying "We miss the only excitement in the whole game because we went to the bathroom."

It seemed terrible then to have missed a homer, but little did I realize this would be just the first of a mountain of disappointments to come in being a Mets fan.

I remember it was fan appreciation day. Also a very dreary day weather wise.

When the game ended there was message on the scoreboard saying thank you to the fans and wishing the Jets AND Giants good luck. The Giants played their 1975 home games at Shea, a few of them on Saturday afternoons because of conflicts with the Jets schedule.

Also, the Yankees were completing their second season in Flushing. The Shea field certainly got a workout that year.

This was not my first time at Shea but it was the first I had watched the Mets at Shea. Before 1975 I had no interest and I have no memories of being at Shea except at being at a bar with my dad and him talking about Willie Mays. My dad put me in little league and despite the fact I was inept on the field I fell in love with baseball and the Mets.

I wanted so bad to go to a game at Shea. I had a chance earlier in the year to see Old Timer's Game but my dad only had two tickets and I lost a game of Bingo to my brother.

I don't remember much about the game except the Phillies beat the Mets 4-2 and I got a little cooler that I had until the 80's. (Actually I think the one that lasted until the 80's was my Dad's and the one I had was lost much earlier than that.)

I have been thinking about this game; I recently purchased on eBay a filled out program for this game (not received yet) and it was interesting reading the box score of the game on this awesome site just now.

rht
June 11, 2007

I attended this day game with my Dad. We were situated in the nose-bleed seats right over the right field wall by the foul pole. I was a little dizzy from the height. But we had a perfect view of Ron Hodges ninth-inning two-run home run since it landed right below us. Hodges had hit a game-winning extra-inning home run the previous day. He seemed red-hot at the time.

I remember listening to this game on radio during a weekday afternoon after returning home from school. It was during the last week of the regular season on a Wednesday afternoon, before Wrigley Field had lights.

In this game, Tom Seaver pitched 8? hitless innings before giving up a base hit to rookie Joe Wallis with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Seaver had retired the first 18 batters of the game before walking Don Kessinger to start the bottom of the seventh inning, breaking up a perfect game. He continued pitching no-hit ball into the ninth, and struck out the first two batters of the ninth inning before Wallis got the Cubs' first hit.

Wallis was a September call-up who, according to his profile on Retrosheet.org, had played his first major league earlier in the month on Sept. 2, 1975. Wallis thus joins a list of relatively indistguished players who broke up no-hitters by great pitchers, although Wallis, who played in 329 games over five seasons in the majors, did have a much longer and more productive career than Jim Qualls, who broke up Seaver's perfect game attempt against the Cubs in 1969.

Neither team had scored during the first nine innings of this game, so the game went into extra innings. Seaver pitched into the tenth and gave up two hits in the inning, but he got out of the jam when Manny Trillo, who had singled, was thrown out at home trying to score on George Mitterwald's double. John Milner pinch-hit for Seaver in the top of the eleventh inning, and the Cubs won in the bottom of that inning when reliever Skip Lockwood walked Bill Madlock with the bases loaded.

This was the last time that a Mets' pitcher had a no-hitter going into the ninth inning, according to ESPN. No Mets pitcher has ever pitched a no-hitter, although many former Mets pitchers, including Seaver himself, pitched no-hitters for other teams.